Congratulations to our runners from the Melton borough who did the Great North Run

The world-famous Great North Run was a wash with smiles, tears and stories of triumph after thousands crossed the finishing line.

Runners from the Melton borough played their part too!

Kizzy Hunt and Anna Pollard (right) PHOTO: Supplied

Here’s how they fared doing the gruelling 13.1 mile course on September 10.

Keen Melton runner Richard Angrave completed the distance, stopping the clock in two hours 25 minutes, a time that was Richard’s best for three years, but still 17 minutes shy of his personal best.

In a field of over 43,000 participants he finished 23,437th.

He said: “Anyone who has ever completed the Great North Run knows it’s simply the best half marathon in the world with first class organisation throughout the event.

“For the first few miles the thousands of spectators simply applaud all the runners, whilst in the second half of the race people with their names on their shirts receive encouraging shouts.

“The route was also lined with numerous rock bands on each roundabout and steel drum and other drum bands creating a great rhythm to run to and adding to the atmosphere.

“It’s perhaps a run to be enjoyed rather than searching for a personal best and I certainly did enjoy my second time doing it.”

Richard gained his place in the Great North Run via the Sunday Times ballot and chose to raise money for Alzheimer’s Society in memory of his mum who passed away in 2013, after an eight year battle with dementia.

He added: “At the start, 20 minutes before the race gets under way, everyone joins in with a workout and definitely enters the party atmosphere. There are giant video screens showing short documentaries and interviews with uplifting music to really pump runners up.

“When the elite runners were introduced, the noise from the crowd gradually increased until the introduction of Mo Farrah, when the noise was quite unbelievable such is the appreciation for Mo in the North East.”